Effect of glutathione on cytokines in rabbits with hepatic ischemia- reperfusion injury

Objective To study the changes of inflammatory cytokines in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion( I/R) injury of rabbits and the protective effect of glutatbione. Methods Thirty rabbits were randomly divided into control group( group A) , ischemia-reperfusion group ( group B),and glutathione protectied group (group C).The model of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury was deueloped according to Nauta. The changes in levels of alanine aminotransferase ( ALT) ,methylene dioxyamphetamine( MDA) , tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-β( IL-1β) , IL-6 and IL-8 in plasma and tissues were dynamically observed, and the pathological changes and the numbers of polymorphonuclear cells (PMN) in hepatic tissues were observed.Results The levels of ALT,MDA,TNF-α,IL-1β,IL-6,IL-8 and PMN in plasma or in liver were sequentially increased ( P 0.05) ,and abnormal morphological changes of hepatocytes were remarkable in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury. With treatment of glutathione, the abnormal changes of all the above parameters diminished significantly ( P 0.05 ) . Conclusions The inflammatory cytokines may be involved in the hepatic I/R injury. Glutathione has preventive effects on hepatic I/R injury by eliminating oxygen free radicals and inhibiting the increase of cytokines, there by reducing the infiltration of PMN in reperfused liver.